Director's Cut
by OKBooey31
Summary: Collection of Klaroline deleted/extended scenes from ones that occur in canon. SPOILERS. ye have been warned, mateys.
1. Blonde Distraction No More

**A/N: hey guys! just some house keeping stuff to clean up my story list on the profile. I'm reuploading all my Klaroline extended/deleted scenes here so it's nothing new:) The one from the season finale will be included at the end, as well.**

**If you're a new reader hello! I hope you enjoy:D**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Diaries and if I did, there would be no Original killing allowed ;)**

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"Then, we'll need to keep Klaus distracted," Damon said, throwing a pointed look in Caroline's direction.

The blonde felt her eyes grow wide and her breathe hitch. She was glad that she had no heartbeat to detect because it would have thumped eight times faster and jumped into her throat.

"Ugh, why me?" She said, looking at Damon incredulously. She couldn't, no she wouldn't do it. The look of fear and hurt that had filled his deep blue eyes when he realized Kol was in danger haunted Caroline. She would not help them hurt another one of his siblings. Klaus had shown a side of himself to Caroline that, she was sure, no one had ever been shown before.

He had shown him her humanity. In that moment, it was apparent to Caroline that Klaus was just a guy, vulnerable and frightened and lost. In that moment, she had seen him worry for someone other than himself. In that moment, Klaus had not been the psychotic, selfish killer that they knew so well. He had been a man who cared, entirely, about his family, despite his twisted way of showing it.

Klaus had been genuinely afraid of losing Kol. He had been human.

Caroline would not stand to see that kind of fear again. Nobody deserved to feel that, even if they were a psychopathic lunatic.

"Because he's obsessed with you," Damon said in a disgusted, as-matter-of-fact kind of voice. It was that kind of voice that was used to point out something obvious to someone stupid. It was like Damon thought he was speaking to a reluctant child and that angered Caroline. She was no child.

So, she quickly shook her doubt and reluctance from her mind.

"Anything that will help Tyler," she said, before shutting her mouth and guarding it with her lips drawn tight.


	2. You Do Something To Me I

**Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Diaries **

**3x20: Do Not Go Gentle**

Chapter 1: Caroline

"_You do something to me. Something that simply mystifies me. Tell me, why should it be you have the power to hypnotize me?_

The feel of Tyler's body. The look in his dark eyes that speaks more than words. The way his hands hold her so gently. The feel of his hair under her hand. The music, its jazzy, seductive rhythm. The singer's raw voice.

It's all that matters at this moment, this perfect, slow moment.

It's intimate moments like these that Caroline always gets lost in. She likes the silence between them. It makes engraving everything into her memory so that it lasts a life time so much easier. After all, no one is safe in Mystic Falls anymore. If anything should go wrong, it's these moments that Caroline wants to take with her forever.

And things are about to go very wrong, indeed.

Tyler's attention turns to something, _someone_, standing not to far away. Fear flickers through his orbs as he stares.

"What is it?" Caroline asks, as they stop their swaying and her hands drop before turning to greet the interloper.

"Where've you been, mate?" he asks, his tone wary but gentle, if such a thing were possible. They watch as Klaus approaches them, dressed in white, looking as if Jay Gatsby himself walked right out of a page in the classic novel_,_ his question still hanging in the air.

She moved her hands to rest on Tyler's shoulder as he replies, his arm still curved around her waist, clutching her to him.

"I just got back in town," Tyler responds, casually but just as wary as Klaus. Caroline was sure that if his heart still beat, it would be pumping a thousand miles a minute.

"That's funny," Klaus says, his face hardening as he studies them both intently, trying to figure out how Tyler had snuck away under his nose. "I don't recall giving you permission to leave in the first place."

Tyler doesn't respond. He's nervous, that much Caroline can tell and she doesn't blame him. One wrong word and Klaus will figure it out. One wrong sentence and Caroline feels sure that there would be a blood bath right here, in the middle of the dance floor. She studies Tyler's face anxiously, her own void of all emotion.

"You don't mind if I cut in, do you?" Klaus continues when Tyler doesn't answer, striding confidently towards them, arrogance radiating off of him. He's so close that Caroline could reach out and smack him right across the face, but she doesn't.

So she uses her words instead. "Yes, actually. We do," she replies sharply, her eyes leaving Tyler's poker face to glare at the Original. She curses herself as soon as she does, but she doesn't let the effect his kind, angelic features have on her show. For a split second, Klaus looks defeated, but Caroline should know better than to feel proud of herself.

Klaus looks down at the floor before staring up at Tyler under his eyelashes, giving him a pointed look. His eyebrows raise quickly.

Tyler lets out a breath and Caroline feels it against her face. "No," he replies slowly and Caroline looks at him, trying to mask her surprise. She knew as soon as they saw Klaus that this moment would come, Caroline just wishes that she had been better prepared for it. Tyler looks back at her before turning so Klaus can hear him, not meeting the Original hybrid's gaze. "It's fine."

He then backs away and Caroline reluctantly turns to face the devil. "Why do you _always_ have to prove you're the alpha male?" she asks, truly angry that Klaus always has to show his power over others.

"I don't have to prove anything, love," he says quickly, trying to recover from his dented pride. "I _am_ the alpha male."

Caroline rolls her eyes, scoffs, and crosses her arms. This man aggravates her to the extreme. His suffocating arrogance, his intoxicating good looks, the fact that he is a psychopathic murder.

But all of this makes Caroline's glare relax as he smirks.

"Come on," he says, almost pleadingly. "One dance," he holds out his hand. She hesitates. "I won't bite," he says, smirking, again, at his obvious jib at Tyler. The look stays on his face as Caroline turns to look at Tyler. Her boyfriend's face is a mask. So, with a pout, she turns back to Klaus and heavily lays her hand in his own.

And he smiles, genuinely smiles, if only for a second, as he leads Caroline slowly out to the dance floor, his hand softly gripping her own. But his face quickly becomes a soft mask again as his blue eyes study her intently, as if she's some puzzle he's trying to put together.

And its all of this that begins to melt Caroline's dead heart.

It doesn't help when she twirls awkwardly under his arm and he catches her on the other side, his hand comfortably resting on the small of her back, his other, much larger hand gripping her small on with a gentle firmness that only Klaus could pull off.

The touch feels kind, almost natural. But Caroline knows that it should be completely, totally, one hundred percent wrong.

But it doesn't stop her from casually resting her hand on his broad shoulder. There's nothing wrong with that, right? They are _dancing_after all.

At least she makes a point of looking _anywhere_ but his blue eyes. Caroline knows that if she gives him that luxury, it will be all over, she'd get lost in all his talk of_genuine beauty_, or whatever it was he called it.

They're too close for Klaus to gaze at her continually but she feels his eyes wander over her face a couple times, trying to break through her carefully constructed wall.

"You would have loved the nineteen twenties, Caroline," Caroline still doesn't look at him, but the way he says her name…no one has ever said her name like that before, so tender, as if the word itself might break if said too forcefully. He continues and she can hear the smile in his accented voice. "Girls were reckless. Sexy," he whispers the scandalous word, the air tickling her cheek as he tilts his head to watch her. Caroline dangerously lets her eyes wander over his face. "Fun," she can hear the beginning of a smile in his enchanting voice, his intense blue orbs lingering on her face. "They _literally_ used to dance until they dropped."

She would be lying if she said that his quick twirl didn't catch her breath. She would be lying if she said his pure, dimpled smile didn't send butterflies flying around in her stomach. She would be lying if she said that she didn't like the proximity of their bodies, the feel of his muscle against her, the smell of him. It was all too intoxicating.

Disgusted with herself, Caroline pushed those thoughts out of her mind, ignored the lyrics of the song that was playing, and lied to herself.

She let out a short, humorless laugh. "I don't suppose that ever happened to their dance partners," she replies with a bite, letting her eyes regard him coldly before looking away to study anything but his face.

"You should be nicer to me," he whispers again, his voice husky, glancing at her sideways. "I'm leaving town tomorrow."

This time, Caroline can't stop herself from pulling back to look at his face. Her breathing quickens and she curses herself because she knows he can feel it. But she can't help but feel as if her heart's been yanked out of her chest as the lyrics of the song break through her carefully constructed defenses. She looks at him with wide, unbelieving eyes, not wanting to hear a word he says. The thought of him leaving truly scares her. The thought of not seeing his pretty blue eyes, dirty blonde curls, and dimples...

The thought of someone else leaving her is too much to think about.

So, she pushes those feelings away and tells herself she is just surprised because she didn't expect him to be gone so suddenly, so quietly. Caroline tells herself that she is just surprised he, _finally,_ leaving them all alone.

"I'd invite you to come with me," he continues, her eyes still wide, studying his face. "But we both know that you're not ready to accept my offer."

Caroline feels relieved when he breaks the eye contact. She goes back to staring over his shoulder. She finds Tyler standing patiently, waiting for her to return to him. She begins control her breathing.

"Perhaps, one day," he muses. "In a year, or even in a century, you'll turn up at my door and let me show you what the world has to offer," he says and the emotion that bleeds through his voice his genuine and she is nearly convinced go with him. But, thankfully, she finds Tyler in the crowd once again and Klaus stops their rhythmic, intimate, _sexy, _swaying.

How could she leave this life without a backward glance? She couldn't, not now, maybe not ever, no matter how _romantic_ and enticing Klaus made it sound. And with that, Caroline finds her resolve again. She scoffs, breaking their intense, butterfly-causing eye contact, and slightly shakes her head at him, forcing herself to believe that he's being ridiculous. They let go of each other, disentangling their bodies.

She almost regrets it when he dejectedly looks down at the floor. Almost.

"You mark my words," he says, his eyes, now a dark blue, finding their way back to her face. "A small town boy…a small town life. It won't be enough for you."

And then he's gone. Caroline watches him walk away, her heart feeling heavy in her chest as her hopes and dreams vanish. Her brow is still creased as she finds her way back to Tyler.

And at the very end of the night, after everything is said and done, when she leaves the old cemetery, Caroline lets herself think. Her heart hurts, not only because of Alaric, but because of Klaus. No one had _ever_ been able to see her so clearly, no one has _ever_ looked at her the way he does, not even_ Tyler_. But she also wished Klaus could see that she was scared, not just that she was _beautiful, strong, and full of light_, as he had so eloquently put it a few weeks ago.

As much as she wanted to pack up and leave, escape, she couldn't. Caroline was too scared. Mystic Falls was all she had ever known and the world was a very, very big place.

Caroline let a few tears escape as she curled up in her bed and thought of how her hand had rested comfortably on his chest. She thinks about how his hand felt as it caressed the small of her back protectively, how his arm was draped casually around her waist, how she liked the feeling of her small hand in his much larger one, reminding her how small she was in the grand scheme of things compared to how big he was. She believed that he would protect her from all harm, deep down she knows he would.

Caroline thinks of all these thing futilely. As much as she would like to run to him now, she can't. He was right, she isn't ready. She's too scared, so she hides under the safety of her blankets and dreams of everything he could give her.


	3. You Do Something To Me II

**Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Diaries **

**3x20: Do Not Go Gentle**

**Klaus**

He watches silently, biding his time. At first he is shocked to see the Lockwood boy, _his_ hybrid, there after the mutt seemingly dropped off the face of the earth. Then he is disgusted at the way she looks at him, as if he is the only thing that matters in her little world. And then he is amused at just how incredibly _awkward_ they are.

Not Caroline, of course. She looks as beautiful as ever. The red dress hanging loosely on her body, but still complementary to her frame, her complexion. Her blonde hair seems to shine. Klaus thinks she could very possibly be glowing. In his thousand plus years and with all the beauty he has seen, Klaus can truly, honestly say that Caroline looks _perfect_ tonight.

Tyler is a completely different story. The boy has his hand loosely and lazily wrapped around Caroline's waist, it's a shame, almost, the Original thinks. The boy should learn to hold onto his girl better, if this were actually the 1920's, Klaus would be able to _easily_ take her away…but times are different, _he's_ different.

But still, Klaus has to shake his head slightly at the stupidity of the whole Decade Dance. Such a mediocre tribute to such a _fantastic_ time with kids, _children_, who don't understand anything of value.

Klaus masks his emotions easily as Lockwood spots him, the boy visibly freezes in Caroline's arms as they stop swaying and that is Klaus' first sign that something is amiss.

"What's wrong?" he hears Caroline ask, her hand gliding comfortingly down the mutt's arm as she turns to see what has the boy so worried.

"Where've you been, mate?" Klaus asks cordially, striding forward to meet the couple.

"I just got back in town," Tyler answers, undaunted. Klaus notices his grip on Caroline tighten as the young Vampire rests her hands on his shoulder.

This infuriates Klaus, he creases his brow, intently staring at the boy, trying to figure out what he's missing. "That's funny," he states matter-of-factly. "I don't recall giving you permission to leave in the first place."

This takes the boy aback and Klaus can almost see the excuses flash through his head. Fortunately for Tyler, the boy chooses not to respond so Klaus continues walking forward with such arrogance that it seems to put Tyler in his place. Klaus smirks slightly, taking pride in the way he instills fear in others. Tyler's silence rebukes the odd feeling that had welled up in Klaus' gut so he thinks nothing of the boy's impudence.

Besides, he's here for Caroline, not this stupid _mutt_.

"You don't mind if I cut in, do you?" Klaus asks, even though it's not exactly a question, slight smirk fading from his features as he relishes in the fact that the boy has the decency to look ashamed.

"Yes, actually," Caroline states, looking at him firmly, jumping in to save the day in that obnoxious but sweet way that she does. "We do."

Klaus' eyes turn a shade darker as he feels disappointment wash over him. But it quickly fades as he remembers he's never exactly had her approval so he gives Tyler a pointed look and watches as the boy takes a exasperated breath, turning to Caroline.

"No," he says, unwillingly. It's the hesitation in the boy's voice that is forefront in Klaus' mind. The slight hesitation reaffirms his belief that _something_ has happened right under his nose and Klaus does not like it. But he reminds himself that he can deal with his disrespectful hybrid later as the boy continues to answer. "It's fine."

Klaus raises his head in victory as Caroline turns to face him, stepping away from Tyler slightly. He sees the fire in her green-blue eyes and he wants to smile. This is what he likes so much about Caroline, the fighter. Her spunk and how it is so pure, so _full of light._

"Why do always have to prove you're the alpha male?" she asks, and Klaus doesn't miss the bite in her words. He feels the sting and he would be lying if he didn't admit that her words hit her mark, that they dented his pride, if only ever so slightly.

"I don't have to prove anything, love. I _am_ the alpha male," he says quickly, his brow creased, to fix the small dent he felt, to reassure her that he knew _exactly_ who he was. Klaus also felt proud of himself, he thought she would respond better to that than she would if he had simply bared his four deadly fangs and ripped the boy's heart out right in the middle of the gym.

She scoffs, rolls her eyes, and crosses her arms and Klaus has to fight back his frustration. He softens his facial features, but his eyes stay hard. He came here for one reason and one reason only and he was going to make sure he got it.

"Come on," he says, his voice soft, silently hoping that she'll accept on her own account. "One dance." She doesn't budge. "I won't bite," he says, reaching out to her, his hand hanging between them, silently begging for her touch. He smirks, the expression nearly growing to a genuine smile as he laughed internally at his jibe at the Lockwood boy.

Klaus can see her deliberating, her feelings at war with each other, she turns away from him and glances at Tyler, Klaus doesn't need to see her to know the confused look on her face. But, finally, Caroline turns back to him and he smiles as she lays her hand heavily in his. He thinks of its tiny feel in his own, larger hand as he slowly leads her out on the dance floor and twirls her slowly under his arm and he holds on to her with a gentle firmness, not holding on too tightly but never wanting to let go.

If Klaus' heart still beat, it would have thumped ten times faster as he pulled her lithe, cheerleader's body closer to him, his arm draped protectively around her waist, hand resting in much the same way on the small of her back. He felt her other small hand resting casually against his chest as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

Despite the intimacy of their proximity, he noticed Caroline was making a point of looking anywhere at anything. Anything but him. He realized that he would be lying to himself if he thought that she had any other reason for doing this if it wasn't for Tyler, and Klaus was lots of things, but he was no liar, at least not to himself. Wishing that Caroline would do _something_ for herself once, Klaus had a newfound determination to get her attention one way or the other, so he started talking.

"You would have loved the nineteen twenties, Caroline," he says, briefly walking down memory lane, a luxury he rarely allowed himself. "Girls were reckless," he said, swaying with her body as if it was the most natural thing in the world. "Sexy," he said, dropping his voice to a whisper that only she could hear and tilted his head to look at her. "Fun. They _literally _used to dance until they dropped!" he said with a smile, spinning them around the other way quickly.

For a moment, as she reluctantly turned her eyes upward towards him, he thought she was going to genuinely laugh. Only for a moment.

"I don't suppose that ever happened to their dance partners," she says and Klaus sighs as he's reminded of the Caroline he invited to the Ball so many nights ago.

"You should be nicer to me," he says, looking down his nose at her pretty face. He drops his voice once again. "I'm leaving town tomorrow," he states in a husky whisper. And he feels hope as she pulls back slightly to look into his face to try and discern if what he's saying is the truth or some cruel trick to win her affections.

But the look on her face says it all. Her eyes are wide and he feels her breathing quicken. Complete shock covers every inch of her, radiates off her body and he feels hopeful. Has he really gotten under her skin that much?

The look on her face says more than words ever could so he dares to continue.

"I'd invite you to come with me," he says, now serious. "But we both know that you're not ready to accept my offer."

As much as it hurts him to admit that, he knows that she knows it's the truth. She isn't ready.

His eyes leave her face and its his turn to look anywhere but at Caroline, knowing that if he sees the hurt in her eyes, the confusion and anxiety on her face, he'll want to stay.

"Perhaps, one day," Klaus muses, focusing on the smooth skin of her bare shoulder. "In a year, or even in a century, you'll turn up at my door," he feels her eyes have left his face and are glancing over at the Lockwood boy, he brings his eyes back to her. "And you'll let me show you what the world has to offer."

And he curses himself as he hears the emotion breaking through his voice and abruptly stops their swaying, the intimacy of the moment heightening as she turns her face up to him and he looks down at her, his eyes studying every inch of her face, waiting for some kind of response.

He doesn't get one for a few seconds but he notices that she hasn't scurried away from his arms, hasn't even tried, even though they are no longer swaying. He leans in slightly, still searching her face when she pulls back and scoffs, the moment screeching to a halt.

This time her eyes aren't filled with confusion and surprise but resentment, as if she is doubting his claims. He opened his mouth slightly, wanting to fix whatever he did to ruin the moment, but instead he backs up, disentangling their bodies, and feels the cold air return to the place her warm body had just been.

Klaus studies his feet for a moment in disappointment before looking up at her, his eyes hard again. "You mark my words," he says, frustration beginning to seep through his carefully composed mask. "A small town boy," the look of uncertainty is back, poorly masked as it shines in her eyes. "A small town life. It won't be enough for you," he says before giving her a sad, pointed look before walking away. He feels her eyes on him as he hastily makes his escape.

And, at the end of the night, after everything is said and done and Klaus lays in the darkness of his room, he lets himself think.

For the first time in _years_, his head hurt. Not just because his mother's repeated attempts, albeit _failed _attempts, but attempts nonetheless, on his life. Not just because he had allowed Rebekah to cry herself to sleep in his arms. But because of Caroline. He could see her so clearly, he felt her resolve of hatred against him crumbling tonight, but she wouldn't let herself believe it. Not for a second. And he wasn't sure what upset him most...his frustration with her or his anger at himself.

It was frustrating since they _both_ knew he was right, he saw it in her face. It was plainly written on her features that she believed in the truth behind his words. But she won't listen to her heart, won't give it a chance…at least not yet. But that's okay, he tells himself in a frustrated reminder that they have _forever._ But it's the thought that she _knows_ which haunts him.

And seriously, he asks himself. What was he thinking, going to a high school dance, walking right into, _back_ into her trap...the games Caroline was playing with him counted as a trap, right? He shakes his head before bringing a bottle of bourbon back up to his lips. What had he expected? Her to give in to his every whim? Run away with him? Kiss him? Klaus honestly has no idea.

So, he tries to push the frustration away between by drinking straight out of the bottle, thinking of how comfortable having her in his arms had been, how relaxed she had been, even if it had been too short lived.


	4. Safe and Sound I

**Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Diaries**

**3x21: Before Sunset**

**Caroline**

Elena didn't have to tell her twice, Caroline knew she had to get out and get help. She sped into the hall and stopped short, way short, of the front doors, her eyes wandered as she thought she heard something.

She wanted to scream as someone grabbed her from behind. A large hand slipped over her mouth, muffling her pitiful cries for help and Caroline's heart pounded in her chest as she futilely struggled against the solid body behind her, pulling her out of the middle of the hall. She held on tightly to who's ever arm had wrapped tightly around her body, fingers wrapped around his forearm.

"Shh, shh, shh," he whispered urgently and Caroline stopped her struggles as her muffled cries turned to whimpers. "It's okay. It's okay," Klaus whispered in her ear, moving his hand from her mouth to her neck, cupping it comfortingly and his other arm loosened around her middle but still maintained the protective contact. "It's me. It's okay, you're safe," he whispered again.

Caroline was still nervous, the whole situation had her jumpy but she believed him. She knew nothing would harm her while he was here, his hand resting in the nape of her neck, the solidity of his body behind her, guarding her. She followed his cautious glance as he looked over his shoulder and she felt herself tense again, fear of Alaric working its way back into her gut. Her breathing still shaky as she took comfort in the presence of her savior, relaxed as she felt the way his hands caressed her.

"We'll save Elena," he whispered, his breathe brushing against her skin, his lips moving close to her ear. His voice was so low that Caroline knew no other vampire could hear. She felt his eyes look back down, the intensity piercing her skin, his hand still holding her in place. "You go _straight_ home," her eyes flashed to his face before looking away again. "You stay inside. Do you understand?" he asked, his voice harsh.

Caroline didn't answer, she felt her eyes grow wide in fear. Did that mean he was staying here? With evil Alaric who was _intent_ on killing them all? She wanted to shake her head, disagree with his antics until he swung her around, hands on her arms with that firm gentleness, and stared directly into her face.

"Do you understand me?" he asked again, blue eyes intently looking into her own. His voice might be harsh but there was no missing the worry laced in it, the foreign look of fear and worry in his eyes against his hard face and set jaw.

Caroline studied his face and nodded slightly. His hands relaxed on her arms, but they were still there, holding onto her as if he was afraid of what would happen when he let go.

"Thank you," Caroline whispered, eyes scanning his face. She was still scared and she had every right to be, but he was here, telling her it would be alright and she believed him.

Klaus' face softened as he visibly relaxed. He regarded her with a knowing look and stood there for an extra moment before exhaling sharply and disappearing before her eyes. In his sudden absence, Caroline had never felt so alone. She watched the direction he had run off in before running for her car.

Much later, after everything was said and done, after the Salvatores had left to dump his body in the Atlantic, Caroline laid in her bed, once again. His sketch in her small hand, her eyes admiring it sadly. Odd was the only word that could describe it. Odd, empty, final. It all felt so final.

And Caroline wasn't sure she liked it. She should be happy, utterly blissful that he was _finally_ out of their lives. But she wasn't. How could she be? The way he looked at her in the school with such genuine worry for her safety and such relief that she had agreed to follow his instructions…the way he had looked at her as if he knew what was going to happen in the end. His words ran through her head as she traced her finger over the fine lines of the drawing.

_"I fancy you."_

_"You're beautiful. You're strong. You're full of light."_

_"I _dare_ you."_

_"One day, perhaps in a year or maybe even a century, you'll show up at my door and let me show you what the world has to offer."_

_"It's me. It's okay, you're _safe._"_

Caroline had never thought that she would agree with him, never even dreamed of feeling so secure in his arms but she had and she never would again. The tears came slowly as she turned her light off and placed the paper safely under her pillow. She laid there, thinking about the days events, wishing he was here to tell her, that somehow, it would be okay.

But he was gone and, as far as Caroline knew, he wasn't coming back so she did the next best thing.

She imagined him there, his firm body behind her, his muscled forearm holding her protectively against him. His hand resting in the nape of her neck as he whispered slowly in her ear, telling her everything was alright.

Caroline fell into a restless sleep, believing in the last words he told her.

**A/N: SO MANY EMOTIONS. Ugh, did anyone else die inside when Stefan stopped his heart? If Klaus isn't woken up, I won't ever be okay again. D': /3**

**Anyways, such a sweet and tender moment between them where I hope that even Klaus haters could see that he _genuinely_ cares for her and wants her safe. It broke my heat that this scene happened and then she was the one to throw the party...it just didn't seem right.**

**Will have part 2 up tomorrow at some point. Thanks for reading and please review if you have a minute! :)**


	5. Safe and Sound II

**Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Diaries**

**3x21: Before Sunset**

**Klaus**

He hid in the shadows, silently bidding his time until the Salvatores drew Alaric Saltzman out of the classroom. He heard the sound of a scuffle, the doppelganger had poured vervain on the teacher; he could smell it, hear it singe the man's skin.

He heard feat hitting the tiled floor. Two pairs, then one. Caroline came into his line of sight and he watched as she stopped in the middle of the hall, looking around in confusion, her cheeks marked from tears, he hands bloody. She turned around, as if she was going to go back and that was one thing Klaus would not allow.

Using his supernatural speed, he came out of his hiding place and pulled her flush against his body, his hand sliding over her mouth as she tried to cry for help. He felt the healing scabs on the corner of her mouth and she reeked of vervain as she tried to fight against his hold. The idea of Alaric torturing her made him livid but he pushed the feeling down his throat, realizing that his anger was not what she needed to see right now. He felt her small hands wrap themselves tightly around his forearm as he pulled them out of the middle of the hall.

Klaus could feel her heart thumping quickly out of fear and he realized that she must think of him as the teacher. "Shh, shh, shh," he whispered harshly to get her attention. He got it as he tried to calm the baby vampire in his arms. "It's okay. It's okay," he moved his hand away from her mouth slowly and let it rest in the crook of her neck as he felt her eyes flash to his face as he looked down at her profile, overwhelmed with the need to protect her. "It's me. It's okay, you're safe."

He looked over his shoulder and loosened his grip on Caroline, but still maintained the contact as she began to relax against him. He breathed heavily, hoping that it would help calm her erratic, shaky breaths as she continued to relax, her lithe cheerleader's body melting into his.

Klaus looked back down at her, his hand caressing the crook of her neck, arm still wrapped around her middle in that gentle firmness that he possessed whenever she was in his proximity. He lowered his head so his mouth was right by her ear. "We'll save Elena," he whispered, voice so low he knew that Caroline, and only Caroline, could hear. "You go _straight_ home. You stay inside. Do you understand?" he asked.

She didn't answer and Klaus spun her around so he could search her face and he was met by such fear in her eyes that he wanted nothing more than to take her home himself and leave the Salvatores to deal with this mess. But he couldn't, he promised her that he would get Elena, and when it came to Caroline, Klaus did not play around. He would make good on his word.

"Do you understand me?" he asked again, the worry bleeding through his voice as his hands gripped her arms so she couldn't move away. Klaus' intense eyes bored into hers, his worry growing each second until she nodded slightly and he felt his grip on her arms relax, not that it was a death grip in the first place.

"Thank you," she said quietly, finally looking straight into his eyes and studying his face and he felt himself relax, if only slightly.

Klaus didn't let go right away as she continued to look at him, search his face. He studied her, still worried but he was able to take comfort in the fact that she had agreed and that she didn't seem to eager to get away from him as they looked at each other intently for a few moments.

With one last look over her beautiful but pale and fear marred features, Klaus released a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. And then he was gone, ran back into hiding. He couldn't stop himself from looking back to watch as Caroline made her escape and it was only then that he could clear his mind and focus on the task at hand.

But for the second time that day, her safety crossed his mind as Klaus felt the stupid Lockwood boy and Damon hold him back. He screamed in pain as Stefan's fingers plunged into his chest and settled around his heart.

Klaus realized a second too late what was happening as he heard the speedy beating of his supernatural heart rate. He gasped and breathed heavily as he looked up into Stefan's face. He felt the other two tighten their grip as he began to slump, losing the fight. His heart rate continued to slow down as he turned his thoughts to the blonde baby vampire.

He had told her it would be alright. That she was safe, and he always kept his word when it came to Caroline. She needed to be safe, and Klaus realized as he felt his blood begin to congeal inside his body, that this was only the beginning of making sure of that.

Klaus looked around in resignation. _So be it_, he thought as his heart beat for the last few times and his world began to spiral. Caroline's clear voice and laugh rang through his head as he remembered her words to him over the last few weeks.

"_Are you going to kill me?"_

"_I don't want to die."_

"_You're father didn't love you so you assume no one else will."_

"_I'm too smart to be seduced by you."_

"_Thank you."_

_Everything is going to be alright, sweetheart You're safe now_, Klaus thought, angry at what was happening but at peace with what it meant: Caroline's eventual safety, the ability for her to live her life as she wanted.

Her simple, quiet expression of gratitude meant more to him than anything she could have done. And it was those two words that he took with him in his death.

His heart beat for the final time. He slumped over and Tyler brought him gently to the ground.

_"Just close your eyes, the sun is going down._

_You'll be alright, no one can hurt you now._

_Come morning light, you and I'll be safe and sound."_

* * *

**A/N: Wahhhh, I hated writing his death. It's so freaking sad :( he just looks so defeated in the scene and it breaks my heart! Wake up soon, Klaus, we miss you!**

**Song lyrics are from "Safe and Sound" by Taylor Swift, ft. The Civil Wars.**

**Thanks for reading and if you have a minute, please review:)**


	6. somewhere between dirty and clean

**Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Diaries**

**4x06: We All Go A Little Mad Sometimes**

"She's my best friend, Klaus!" Caroline called as she chased Klaus through the Grille's parking lot. "Let me help!" He turned on his heel at her words, barely repressing a growl, and Caroline stopped on a dime, their faces inches apart.

"No."

"Why? I don't get what the big deal is! It's not like she's going to hurt me! Elena _knows _me."

"The big deal, sweetheart, is that these hallucinations dear Elena is experiencing aren't to be taken lightly. They're meant to drive you to the edge and force you to take your own life. Sure, she knows you! I knew Elijah and I knew Rebekah and that didn't stop me...I drove stakes into _them. _Elena's attacked her brother and Stefan. Elena is unstable and anyone who tries to stop her from avenging The Five may be caught in the cross fire. Do you catch my drift, love?"

"You talk about this like you _know_…like you understand what she's going through," she said quietly, looking up into his eyes, her facial expression softening. Though the hybrid was standing right in front of her, Caroline knew he wasn't in the present. His eyes had clouded over and he gulped before looking to the ground at their feet. She watched him, the deadly creature morphing into a vulnerable, frightened man, as he remembered. At that moment, Caroline couldn't help but feel a twinge of empathy and compassion for the man standing in front of her. Mass murderer aside, he was still a person, a person just like her, who had lived through unimaginable horrors that made her father trying to fix her to shame.

"Klaus?" she asked tentatively. She knew it had been only seconds but the longer he stood there completely unresponsive, the more her motherly instinct kicked in. Caroline wanted to fight it, she knew feeling empathetic, or any emotion other than hatred, towards Klaus should be wrong but she had seen hurt in his eyes far more than she liked to admit. She cautiously lifted a hand to place on his tensed shoulder.

He jerked away from her feather-light touch and looked back at her with a taught jaw and regained composure, looking every bit the demon they had fought against for so long. Except his eyes. The blue was still foggy and held a pained expression that pulled at Caroline's already sensitive heartstrings as she wondered what had the normally controlled and emotionless monster so distracted in his past.

"Because I do know," he finally said, speaking quietly. He paused, letting his gaze linger over Caroline's face before continuing, his voice holding more of it's usual bravado this time. "I'm the only other being in existence who knows the repercussions of killing a hunter or, in my case, five. And if my experience is anything to go by, then I hope you understand my reasoning for not wanting you anywhere near your friend. Do I make myself clear?"

Despite herself, Caroline nodded. "Okay," she whispered, looking up into Klaus' eyes once more to see relief replace the pain for a split second before the determined intensity return to his blue gaze. "Thank you. For listening to me and for helping us, Klaus."

"Yes, well, don't think too highly of yourself, sweetheart. I do have my own reasons for wanting Miss Gilbert alive."

Caroline scoffed as a small smile broke out across her face and she shook her head. "Of course not. How could I forget you and your hidden agendas?"

"Now, now, love. No need to be all hot and bothered; you played your part well in yet _another_ of your friends' _failed_ schemes. Now, I really must be off to play the hero. I'll be in touch for, Caroline," Klaus said with his signature smirk, silently reminding her about their deal.

* * *

She's laying in her bed later, thinking over the past few hours. Her fight with Tyler, her failed distraction and time spent with Klaus, their words running through her mind over and over and over again.

"_All he wanted to do was be unsired by that disusting, piece of…"_

"_Yes, well, just know that if Tyler was still sired to me, he would never have hurt you. I wouldn't have let him."_

Caroline isn't sure how much justified truth there is behind Tyler's words. But, then again, Klaus was the one who put Tyler up to biting her and starting the downward spiral of their relationship in the first place.

She sighs and turns off her light and snuggled further into her bed and under her blanket, the blanket that Tyler has laid under with her after the whole debacle with her father, the blanket that Klaus tucked around her after saving her from a fatal bite.

Caroline sighs because she isn't quite sure who to believe.

**A/N: yay for Klaroline scenes! I loved the mix of Klaus we got in 4.06- bad behavior and the sweet side. I'm no longer worried about his character being ruined lol:) title courtesy of Stephanie Schniederman 'dirty and clean' (the 4.07 promo song. it's a great song!)**

**Side note: I am, slowly but surely, working on 'In Shadow' and...prepare yourselves...'Movie Night: The Sequel' (!) but lately, I've only had inspiration for drabbles and shorter stuff, angsty stuff. hang with me and thank you for being patient!**

**Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed! review if you have a second:)**


	7. raise your hopeful voice

**Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Diaries**

**4x07: My Brother's Keeper**

'_You have suffered enough, and warred with yourself, it's time that you won.'_

"Let's just get today over with," she said, striding away.

"Caroline," Klaus called.

"What?" Caroline scoffed, turning around to look at him with an eye roll. Why did heels have to be so difficult to walk in the grass with?

Klaus offered Caroline his arm, smile still in place. She looked as though she was about to turn it down until he raised his eyebrows. Caroline bit her lip for a moment, making Klaus' grin turn into a smirk, before sliding her small hand through the crook.

"I must say the place looks lovely. Well done, sweetheart. I'm assuming it was all your doing?" he commented, whisking her in the opposite direction of Tyler and Hayley.

"Mostly. I had some help but I planned it all," Caroline replied proudly, Klaus cocking his head to the side to glance at the beautiful woman on his arm. "Speaking of which, the catering almost didn't get done because the person who was in charge of it dropped out."

"And who was that?"

"Your sister," Caroline said in exasperation, chancing a glance at Klaus. For a second, she thought she saw a flash of something she couldn't quite place in his blue eyes but it was gone in an instant and Caroline assumed it was just a ray of sunlight catching in his eye. "I don't get her, like, at all! She over throws _my _Dance Committee, plans that stupid and disastrous 20's Decade Dance and then doesn't even show up! And, then, she's oh so chipper about helping out with Miss Mystic, demands I give her the most difficult job, and what does she do this time? Disappear out of thin air."

"She is a fickle little thing, my sister."

"That's an understatement," Caroline scoffed, blowing a strand of hair out of her face. "Where'd she go this time?" she asked after a moment, glancing at the hybrid again.

His eyes turned downward to their feet as they moved through the grass and the same look passed through the blue orbs. This time, Caroline was positive it wasn't sunlight. "Fickle, like I said. But, if I had to place any bets on her location, I'd say she's off gallivanting the globe with Kol…those two can be quite the trouble makers."

Klaus' blue eyes rose to meet hers with his smirk in place. The look had been gone as soon as his mouth had opened but Caroline had placed the foreign emotions of guilt and regret easily enough.

After all, she had seen the same look on in his eyes the night he saved her.

* * *

"No. Damon is never right. Damon is sneaky. And manipulative. And rude. How can you not see that?"

"I…I dunno but why do I think you won't hesitate to tell me?" Elena snapped back, taking a half step in Caroline's direction and placing her hands on her hips.

"Fine! Friend-tervention!" Caroline exclaimed, waving her hands before dropping them by her sides. "I think your so called 'feelings' for Damon are _really _starting to cloud your judgment and _I_ don't like it. And the thought of you two together really makes me want to barf!"

"Easy, love. You're causing a scene," Klaus whispered gently.

Caroline turned her head briefly in surprise because all she really needed right now was for him to come over and make things worse. But, for whatever reason, Caroline found Klaus' presence calming and she was able to take a deep breath and hesitantly turn her face back towards Elena, nervously pushing a strand of hair behind her ear in the process, knowing that Klaus was right, she was causing a scene and ruining her perfect pageant.

The other girl looked between the two, a judgmental look settling on her face, and looked Caroline up and down. "Wow…Caroline. Are we still talking about things we don't approve of because it looks like I'm not the only one who's having judgment clouding feelings," Caroline's jaw dropped but Elena continued. "Thank you for making this very difficult time so much easier."

And with that, Elena strode away and Klaus took her spot as Caroline stared after her best friend, shrugging in bewilderment. "How did I become the bad guy?" she asked shyly, already knowing the answer but not wanting to admit it to herself.

"Let's get you a drink. I'll tell you all about being the bad guy," Klaus said with another raise of his eyebrows and a smile, trying to get Caroline's mind off of the issue at hand.

With a tight-lipped, sad smile, Caroline gave him a small nod.

Chances were Klaus knew the answer, too.

* * *

"So there's not one _single _moment in your _entire _life that you wanted to be human?" she asked, giving him a look of her own and all he did in response was continue to look at her with raised eyebrows and a cocky smirk, letting her answer her own question.

"How 'bout you?" Klaus asked, diverting the conversation away from him.

Caroline sighed and stared out at the pond in front of them. Would she take the cure? Could she take the cure and risk becoming the person that she had once been?

"I'm not sure," she said after a few seconds, her eyes lingering on the water before turning to look back at Klaus. "I mean, sure, there are things a human can do that I won't be able to now and I guess I sort of took them for granted…so, I wish I could have those opportunities back for me to take it I decided…but…I don't know if it's worth it, you know? Actually," she paused to take a sip of her drink, "I'd be willing to bet, had you come into town while I was still human, I would have been the first one killed."

"And why's that?"

"Let's just say human Caroline was sort of a nightmare to be around, even if I wasn't living in the constant mess we keep finding ourselves in," she said with a laugh upon thinking back to her human life, Klaus chuckling along with her.

"Life used to be a lot easier," he agreed, filling his own glass and setting it down on the bench again before standing up. "Don't you miss the days of being," he paused to take a piece of paper out of his coat pocket, "Chair of the Mystic Falls Beautification Committee," Caroline's eyes widened in horror, "And Director of the Policeman's Yearly Raffle."

"Is that my Miss Mystic Application?! Where did you get that?!" she demanded, standing up and knocking the paper out of his hand.

Klaus caught it with a laugh and continued reading, much to her embarrassment. And, as if he didn't believe her about what she was like as a human, he paused and called her word choice 'confident'.

"And above all, I promise to aspire, inspire and," Caroline knew what was coming and she blushed, waiting for his ridicule, "perspire…obviously we found a shortage of words ending with 'spire.'"

"Yeah, it's very funny," she reached for the paper again, hitting his arm. "It's hilarious, just...give…," she trailed off as Klaus held the paper out of her reach once more, a different but still oh so playful, look on his face.

Yeah, she'd seen this look before, too. Everything about his body language, especially the look in his bright blue eyes, was _daring _Caroline.

Unable to keep the smile off her face, Caroline giggled.

* * *

Later that night, after draping a blanket over a sleeping Stefan, cleaning up their shot glasses and putting the bottle of vodka back in it's place, Caroline trudged into her room. Sitting on her bed, she looked around her room, her mind weighed down by the day's events and the possibility of Elena being sired to Damon.

That was when she saw it, the aged looking piece of parchment propped up against the cheerleading trophy on her dresser with her name scrawled across the front.

With a sigh, she stood and crossed to the other side of her room, unfolding the parchment as she trudged back to her bed. Knowing what it was and whom it was from before she even opened it, Caroline fully expected to see a drawing of herself at the pageant but she didn't. She still smiled, though, as she saw a beautiful sketch of a hummingbird sucking nectar from an exotic flower and let her eyes unabashedly rake over every detail before reading the note at the bottom.

_'Thank you for taking a chance. Fondly, Klaus.'_

And, hanging out with Tyler in the morning be damned, Caroline was keeping this one out of hiding.

She honestly couldn't remember the last time she had smiled so much in one day.

**A/N: SO. MUCH. KLAROLINE. *DEAD* they were seriously super adorable this ep! there was so much development and connection and akdjghaklsd. I had to add a couple little scenes and add to a few just 'cos of reasons:) now, I'm gonna curl up in a ball of happiness until we get more (not really, but you get the idea lol).**

**Lyrics at the beginning belong to 'Falling Slowly' by The Swell Season.**

**Thanks for reading! Review and let me know what you think if you have a second:)**


	8. fall on your knees I

**Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Diaries**

**4x09: O Come All Ye Faithful**

_"fall on your knees, oh hear the angels' voices"_

"How fucking dare you!" she yelled, storming into the dark room.

Klaus just smirked and kept his eyes on the flickering fire in front of him, not bothering to turn around to pay her any attention. She doesn't deserve it. Not after everything.

"Did you hear me?!" Caroline screamed again.

"And how can I help you today, love? Here to take advantage of my feelings again?"

"Don't you play games with me. I know you think you pulled a fast one but we know damn well what is going on. She was _all _he had left, Klaus!"

"Little reminder, love," Klaus began nonchalantly. "If Tyler had faced me and taken responsibility for leading _his pack_ to their demise, her death would have been completely and utterly unnecessary," he finished with a sickening smirk although Caroline couldn't see it. "Instead, he was no where to be found. He took from me and I took from him, an eye for an eye until he can stand up like the alpha male he's declared himself to be. Taking responsibility is something required by leadership, love."

"How dare you," Caroline repeated with a shake of her head.

He rose with a guttural growl, not in the least appreciating been yelled at. This little ragtag gang, more importantly Tyler, had done enough to try his patience for one night. "How dare _me_?" Klaus snarled in a threatening whisper as he turned to face Caroline, still in his blood-soaked clothes, blood-stained sword in his grasp, dried blood covering his face and chest. "How dare _you_! Did you really have the audacity to think there would be _no_ retribution involved?!"

Caroline eyed the sword cautiously before snapping her blazing blue-green eyes back to his enraged ones, flickers of gold beginning to show in the blue depths. She didn't answer and it seemed to enrage him more as he lifted the sword and pointed it at her threateningly.

"DID YOU?!" Klaus screamed, his four, large fangs finally dropping and eyes going gold as the black veins popped out. Caroline tried to keep her brave face as Klaus continued towards her as slowly as a predator stalks his prey before pouncing.

And when he did pounce, dropping the sword with a clatter and pinning her between the wall and his body with a sickening thud, Caroline couldn't help but scream. She stood in Klaus' imposing shadow, waiting for the final blow but it never came. Instead, he just glared at her with an open mouth to show her his status as Alpha, to remind her of the trap she had gotten herself caught in.

"And here I was, sitting with Stefan, feeling _guilty_ for trying to use you, for scheming behind your back as we tried to figure out what made us better than you! And now I know that we will _always_ be better than you," Caroline ground out, shaking her head slightly.

"Is that so? Because your manipulation seems to be on the same level as mine, _sweetheart_. What are you here to distract me from this time? Hhm? Go on, tell me. Are you here to make sure I stay put while your little _boyfriend_ gets out of town with his tail between his legs like the coward he is?"

"No. I'm here because he's at home, mourning the death of his _mother_ and no one, _no one,_ is better off without their parents! You're the poster child for that! She was_all_ Tyler had left! His dad's dead. I helped him through his first werewolf transition because Damon tore his uncle's heart out. And now this?! We will _always _be better than you. _Always_," Caroline hissed. "I won't _ever _feel anything for you, Klaus. No one will because you go and do things like this while we all have people to fall back on wh-"

"And who do I have?!" he yelled. "_I _was betrayed! What good came of this for me?! I think you might find it a little differently if you were on my end of the spectrum, sweetheart!"

And just like that, the ounce of patience Caroline had left snapped. Her hand connected with Klaus' bloodied cheek and the harsh, clapping sound echoed in the high ceilinged room, leaving a deafening silence in its wake.

"I'd watch yourself if I were you, love," he growled, slowly turning his face back towards Caroline. "I'm not often known for my patience and it's already been worn down to hell tonight."

"You're one to talk," she snapped, shoving his chest to get him to back away only to invade his personal space. "You need to let go of this idea that the world revolves around you. You aren't the only one with feelings, Klaus," Caroline sneered. "Nor do you have free reign to walk over anyone's and everyone's you please."

"You need to leave. _Now_."

It wasn't a request but a demand and Caroline knew better than to push her luck. "Enjoy your loneliness," she spat before strutting past him with a haughty rise of her chin.

Klaus remained in the same spot he had been until he heard her car speed down the driveway before he moved. He stalked to the side table and picked up the bottle he had been drinking from and took a drink, swirling the liquid around in his mouth as he studied the bottle. With a desperate yell, Klaus hurled the bottle into the fireplace and dropped to his knees and watched the angered flames through teary eyes.

He ran his hands through his hair as he fought the tears and the emotions and the hurt, wondering for the umpteenth time in a thousand, plus, years if loneliness was a curse worth fighting against.

**A/N: wow. what an episode of TVD. I was speechless...there was such a wonderful look into Klaus psyche in all his scenes. and, uhm, not that this one isn't out there already, but the sequence of him slaughtering the hybrids with 'O Holy Night'? that was beyond brilliant. it was perfect and beautiful and tragically heart breaking and Joseph Morgan is fabulous and looked so incredibly sexy and. unf. but that whole sequence with Klaus and Tyler is probably my most favorite in TVD history. I got chills from how well done it was.**

**anyways, I do think Klaroline will be fine:) not perfect, but they'll be okay even if what I wrote didn't make it seem like that. the bottom line is, at this point, Caroline is still with Tyler no matter how rough their relationship is getting so she's gonna stand up for him and be there for him when no one else will be. and besides, everyone says things they don't mean when they're angry:)**

**thanks a bunch for reading and please review if you have a minute:)**


	9. fall on your knees II

**Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Diaries**

**4x09: O Come All Ye Faithful**

"Is there anything I can do?" Caroline asked Tyler for what had to be the thousandth time as her fingers ran through the short hair at the nape of his neck comfortingly. And just like the thousand times prior, Tyler continued to stare straight ahead with a terrified look on his face, tears in his eyes, and a heavy heart.

"Tyler," Caroline sighed, scooting closer to him. "Don't do this. Don't shut yourself off. That's not what your mom would have wanted."

"Yeah, well what do you suggest, Care?" Tyler said, his voice rising and breaking towards the end of his sentence as he looked at her. "I've got to live my entire life looking over my shoulder now. I've got to convince him I don't care so it won't hurt when…," Tyler trailed off, looking at Caroline and throwing his hands in the air. The fear in his eyes was unmistakable.

"When, what, Ty?"

"Do I really have to answer that? I think you know. Hell, you _reek_ of him and I don't get it. You say you love me but you smell like him."

"Is this some wolf thing? 'Cause as your buddy Kim so kindly pointed out, I don't really get this whole pack mentality thing." Tyler only scoffed and shook is head in frustration with an eye roll. "Tyler. Seriously."

"What, Caroline? It's true. What makes you think he's going to stop with just my mom?"

"Klaus won't hurt me. I think the way I managed to help you escape death just a fifteen minutes ago with out a scratch is proof enough of that."

"No, but he can take you away from me. He can and he will. I have to convince him that I don't care so it won't hurt. I have to beat him at his own emotionless game."

"What? So you're just going to sink to Klaus' level? That's the stupidest thing you've ever said and you've said some pretty stupid stuff, Tyler. You're not going to lose me! I promise. Klaus just lost the very small amount of good points that he's gathered in my book over the past few weeks."

"Good points? So now you're making a list of pros and cons between him and me?" Tyler asked, pursing his lips and giving a short nod of his head.

"No, that's not what I meant. I meant that he's been _helpful_ to Stefan and I about solving Elena and Damon's sire bond issue with the cure."

"That doesn't explain why you constantly smell like him."

"It's probably because when I got him to back away from you he invaded my personal space. And, ugh. Are we really fighting over who I smell like?"

"I can't deal with this right now," Tyler huffed.

"Then when are you? You know, I don't really know what you were thinking with this whole hybrid 'Free Willy' in the first place. Did you think that Klaus would just drop it, say 'oh, don't worry about it, mate' hug you, and take you out for a drink when he found out? 'Cause with all this denial going on that's what it seems like, Tyler."

"God, Caroline! Just stop taking that jackass's side!"

"I'm not _taking_ his side! It just seems like you forgot exactly _who _you were dealing with. You know, the devil incarnate, sociopathic, mass murderer that's inhabited our town for months now?"

"Whatever."

They were silent for a few moments and Caroline couldn't help but feel bad. She hadn't come over here to reprimand him. She wanted to make sure he was okay, stay home from school to be with him if he needed her but, in her defense, she hadn't been expected to walk in on Tyler pinned to a wall with Klaus snarling threateningly in the younger hybrid's face and a hand in his chest cavity clenching his heart thus setting her off in the first place. With a sympathetic glance, Caroline scooted closer to her boyfriend and took his hands in hers only for Tyler to jerk them out of her grasp and turned his face away from her.

Her phone vibrated and she checked the text from Stefan asking where she was, saying that if a hundred and sixty-five year old vampire had to go to school and face his ex-girlfriend then she had no excuse to hide from the world. "I have to go…compulsion isn't going to get me through high-school…unfortunately," she said in an attempt to lighten the mood but Tyler remained unresponsive and Caroline sighed in exasperation. "Look," she began again, moving to get in Tyler's line of sight and take his face in her hands. "I'm sorry. I didn't come to fight with you and I know that's the last thing you need to deal with right now. I have to go and I love you. Please text or call me if you need _anything _and I'll leave but if I don't hear from you, I'll stop by after school, okay?"

Tyler's eyes looked away form her face and over her shoulder but gave her a stiff nod anyways and Caroline brought him in for a hug, kissing his cheek before standing up and walking out.

She sighed as she pulled out of the Lockwood's driveway. Is this really what their relationship had come to? The speed with which everything was going down hill frightened her more than it should especially when things had been going _so _well with them, not easy…no, never easy, but their relationship had been the calm in the storm for Caroline.

Or maybe it had been the calm before the storm if she reflected on things. A very violent storm that both she and Tyler underestimated. And now, as her argument with Tyler plagued her mind, Caroline couldn't help but feel as if Klaus was the only thing she was underestimating now.

**A/N: so, I honestly wasn't going to do a second chapter but the feedback convinced me to so I hope you enjoy it:) I'm sorry it's late but an idea didn't strike me til a couple days ago when I saw the official 4x10 synopsis.**

**Thanks for reading and, if you have a minute, please review and lemme know what you think:) Until next time!**


	10. not all who wander are lost

**A/N: not gonna lie, but this is probably one of my most favorite things I've ever written lol**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Diaries**

**4x13: Into the Wild**

**Klaus**

**~not all who wander are lost~**

_"Then maybe it's because I'm pure evil and I can't help myself."_

Walls up, cut off from the world.

_Detached._

"_No," _she drew in a shaky, painful sounding breath. _"No. It's because…you're hurt. Which means, there is a part of you that is human."_

He regretted it. He wouldn't admit it out loud but he regretted it.

"_How could you possibly think that?"_

The problem was, he couldn't let himself regret it. Did she really think that all her attempts at distraction had made her immune to his violent tendencies and infamous temper? Of course she had because she believed she was _that _important to him. But she wasn't. She couldn't be. Not when she was _continuously _using his feelings against him to benefit her dead men walking little gang.

And that was why he didn't love. That was why he couldn't. Because there was too much pain involved and a man like him who had already experienced so much of it in his lifetime of a thousand, plus, years could only take so much more.

At least, that's what he had to believe; it's how he had survived through everything- shutting himself off from the world, throwing up fortresses to intruding and offensive, judgment clouding emotions. He had been told he was worthless, that he was a monster who was incapable of remorse, incapable of love even by his siblings whom he loved more than his own life. And if they couldn't stick by his side, if they believed he was a monster, why should anyone else?

That's what he thought until she started talking, until she called him out on his feelings and his inner most thoughts that he believed were locked up tightly, protected from even himself. But she had always been like that. She had always challenged him and even now, on her deathbed just like she had been a few months ago, she was challenging him.

_"Because I've seen it. Because I've caught myself wishing that I could forget all the horrible things that you've done."_

_"But you can't... Can you?"_

_"I know that you're in love with me."_

No, no, no. He didn't love. He was incapable of loving. He wasn't worth anyone's affections. _Nobody cares about you anymore, boy._

_"And anyone who can love is capable of being saved."_

His gut clenched. He trembled. Tears stung his eyes.

How could this one girl, this young, innocent, _bright, _yet insignificant teenager know him so well? How could she see through all his carefully constructed defenses? No one ever had been able to- not even his siblings. _No one._

But it didn't matter. She was dying and he was going to let her as he should have three months ago, surrounded by people who loved and cared for her, not him. She was too pure to waist her last breaths on the likes of him, a cruel, cold-hearted villain.

_"You're hallucinating."_

Another slow, painstaking breath- deep and desperate.

_"I guess I'll never know."_

And then her body began it's final shut down: her breath leaving her in pants, as her throat closed, her chest heaving in desperation.

_"Caroline?"_

_"Caroline?"_

Her only responses were tiny murmurs as the last little bit of air left her body and she succumbed to eternal sleep.

So be it. This was the way it had to be.

But she was his chance. She was probably his last chance to resurrect his old self, the man who could love, the man who remembered how to love.

No.

It would come back to hurt him. It always had and always would. Always and forever. It was a curse much worse than the one placed on him by his mother, always looking from the outside in, wondering what it must feel like to experience caring for someone and have them reciprocate the feeling.

What was it like, he wondered, to lie next to someone at night and hold them? What was it like to be held, _to be loved_? Was there even a possibility he could find out?

Of course there was and she lay in front of him, in the final stages of death, completely accepting of her fate just as she had been three months ago.

He had saved her then, given her a reason to live and here she was, reciprocating the action.

It was both a blessing and a curse for he was terrified but he couldn't stop himself as he lifted her limp body up and lowered himself behind her. He could stop himself as he pushed his sleeve back and bit into his wrist. But he should stop himself.

He could ruin her; he almost had…not once, but _twice. _This festering wound on her neck, his venom coursing through her veins and shutting down her body, extinguishing her light once and for all- it was all his fault.

But he still couldn't stop himself.

He lowered his wrist to her mouth, slowly dropping past her nose waiting for the scent to hit her, to resuscitate her, and then it rested on her lips, trickling into her mouth and down her throat.

And then her elongated fangs latched onto him and he couldn't stop the low hiss from escaping his mouth at the sensual exchange.

He loved her.

He _loved her_.

_He loved her._

But he shouldn't. He knew he shouldn't but he wanted to. He wanted to, _oh_ how he wanted to. He wanted to love her and care for her and be cared for in return.

He was terrified because this had never ended well, he was caught in the never-ending circle he had accused Rebekah of being caught in.

_He couldn't stop himself_.

He held her gently and stroked her soft hair as she clutched at his arm like it was her lifeline and milked him for all he was worth. He rested his chin atop the crown of her head and cradled her weak frame against his body like she was _his _lifeline.

And she was.

He may be terrified but, dammit, he _wants_ to try.

He wants to try because he loves her and she deserves the best.

He just hoped she wouldn't turn her back on him now because _he loves her._

**A/N: this isn't my typical extended or deleted scene but I couldn't do anything else 'cause it was literally perfect. hot damn, Klausy.**_  
_

**anyone else cry? scenes like this one are reasons i'm thrilled we're getting an Originals spinoff. Joseph Morgan deserves Oscars.**

**there probably won't be a part II, just a heads up. I was overwhelmed with Klaus feels and didn't really have that much of an input on Caroline because I was sorta disappointed with her up until this scene. between her and Tyler provoking Klaus, I so think she set herself up for this...we all know how he lashes out when he feels up against a wall or provoked. it doesn't make it right but that's the only way he knows that he'll be heard...the only way he knows how to deal with those emotions.**

**but, anywho. I hoped you enjoyed this...I'm really sort of proud of it lol. if you have a minute and feel inclined to do so, drop a review by and let me know what you think:) I'd really appreciate it!**

**thanks, friends:)**


	11. upon us miserable sinners

**Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Diaries**

**4x14: Down the Rabbit Hole**

_Much that we call evil is really good in disguises; and we should not quarrel rashly with adversities not yet understood, nor overlook the mercies often bound up in them._

_~Horace Mann~_

She strode in the house with her chin held high and shoulder's square. She could do this. She had to do this. But the moment she laid eyes on him, sitting in that chair as if he were on a throne, Caroline didn't feel very confident anymore. Instead, it took her resolve not to break down and plead on her knees in front of him.

They regarded each other in silence for a moment as all the unspoken words and things she should say about last night drifted between them. Klaus' face remained hard but his eyes were so softened and hopeful that Caroline almost wished a different conversation was about to take place.

"You can't kill Tyler," she said much quieter and more exasperated than she had at first imagined.

Klaus' walls went back up immediately and his fingers tightened their grips on the armrest of the chair. "Not only can I, I _have _to. I have a reputation to uphold and moreover I _want _to," he explained with a slight smirk, an edge of boredom in his voice. He wanted to kill the impudent mutt more than anything at the moment. Not only was he the closest offender Klaus could get his hands on but he had committed the most crimes out of the lot of them. Would these people ever understand who he was? No one was allowed to commit crimes against him. _No one_ and he had to correct the wrong doings. It was his _job_.

"I'm not asking you to forgive him," Caroline countered. "All that I'm asking is that you _let him live_. Somewhere far from here."

Klaus stood, suddenly frustrated with her bargaining. "So he gets to live a happy life? After he turned all my hybrids against me? After he _tried _to kill me? After he made it his life's mission to find the cure so he could use it _against me_?"

"Look, we all want the cure!" Caroline snapped. She was much too tired to deal with Klaus' unyielding supremacy but if it meant Tyler's life then she could do it. She had no choice but to do it because she loved him and love was sacrifice.

"Do we?"

Klaus' words caught Caroline off guard and she looked up at him, directly into his stormy eyes with her mouth opened slightly as she choked on the words she had been planning on saying.

"Do you?" he asked, his eyes earnestly boring into her, always so earnest.

"I..it doesn't matter! There's only one so it's not like I'm going to get it anyway," she said, tears burning her eyes not because she wanted it but because of how badly they hurt. Despite everything she did for her friends, Caroline knew she would never be the first choice, she'd always come in behind Elena and not even being a vampire could change that.

"But if you could…," Klaus continued, pausing a moment as a small smirk spread across his features. "You wouldn't, would you?"

Caroline just looked straight at him, a strange look in her eyes, defiant and yet so revealing. She didn't need to answer Klaus for him to know what she would do and he reveled in that. Despite all her attempts, Klaus could read her like an open book. He may not know all her hopes and dreams but he had this girl pegged.

Klaus knew her just as she knew him and he figured it was time to make her feel just as uncomfortable as she frequently made him. And after the position she had put him in last night, Klaus felt extremely justified in doing the same to her. He wanted to see her squirm under his scrutiny. He wanted to see her admit he was right because, right now, just like him last night, she would never admit it aloud.

"You prefer who you are now to the girl you once were. You _like_ being strong. Ageless. Fearless," he said in a low voice. Pausing, Klaus took a step closer to the barrier separating them so they were nose to nose. "We're the same, Caroline."

The silence hung between them for mere moments as Klaus continued to study her and just when he thought he finally had the upper hand, she surprised him.

"Show me. You know how much I love Tyler. You can see how _scared _I am to lose him. If you and I are so similar then show me your compassion. Show him the mercy that _I _would show _you_."

"Mercy," he said, letting the unfamiliar word roll of his tongue as if he was contemplating it and his ability to dictate such a thing, "for Tyler." He shouldn't. What message would that send to his enemies if the all powerful Original hybrid let an insignificant mutt run away with his life when Klaus had every right and every reason to rip him limb from limb the moment he was able to get his hands around the boy's throat.

But he also had every reason in the world to grant it and she was standing right in front of him. Her eyes imploring him as they whisked over his face and she was right. The cornflower blue orbs held so much fear for the dog that it made his heart clench from her distress. But they also held hope; hope that he would do the right thing because she deserved that much from him.

So, with a sigh, he decided to take a chance. "Very well. Tell him to leave town immediately," Klaus said, his posture rigid in distaste at what he'd just done. His eyes stayed on hers as he began to turn around, silently asking her, _begging _her to let him know if he had done the right thing. She had said he could be saved but Klaus had no idea where to even start. He didn't want to lose everything he had gained as king of the supernatural world over the centuries but he wanted more than anything for Caroline to see him in a different light.

But she stood silently, not making a sound, simply watching him.

So he strode away with long strides, trying not to let his frustration at the entire situation get the best of him. But he whirled back around at the last second and pointed at Caroline. He would give her one more chance to let him know if he was doing this right.

"And tell him to run," he growled, "and hide in a place I will _never _find him."

A small, disbelieving smile graced Caroline's lips for a fraction of a second as she let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. "Of course," she said and turned away, another relieved breath escaping her. She grabbed her jacket off the back of the couch, eager to go tell Tyler the good news.

"Tell him that this is the mercy I extend for your sake."

She continued to mind her own business, slipping her jacket on as the imprisoned hybrid watched her back, his desperation and frustration rising.

What was he doing wrong? Was he doing anything right at all? Could she not see that he was trying?

Fine, if she was going to make this difficult, so would he.

"That I will give him a head start before I kill him."

Caroline froze. She slowly raised her head, hoping and praying to whatever god, if any, existed that he hadn't truly said that. Everything had been perfectly fine two seconds ago. She couldn't even process where he could have possibly changed his mind in letting Tyler live, letting him be free for once and for all.

With wide eyes, Caroline turned slightly to look at Klaus. He was in front of the chair he had resided in at the beginning of their conversation. He just stood there, looking at her with an almost apologetic look in his blue-green eyes, a look that Caroline couldn't even begin to understand.

"But…you…you just said you were going to let him go!"

"That's the problem with mercy, love. It works both ways."

"What are you talking about? I've shown you mercy plenty of times! I shouldn't have felt the need to say _anything _to you after what you did to me," she said, turning around to face him fully as the tears began to sting her eyes. "But I did because for some reason I couldn't die until I said something to you. I couldn't bear the thought of you not understanding why things always go wrong for you, why your family doesn't want to stand by your side. What more mercy do you want from me?"

"Well, sweetheart, what was the reason you were in that position, hhm? Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that I requested a _truce. _I had been willing to give up my quest for vengeance but what did you do, love? You spat in the face of my request."

"Klaus! That's hardly the sa-"

"Go," Klaus growled, turning away from her and stalking to the other side of the room. "My offer for Tyler's head start still stands. He has at least two days to get as far from here as possible. You can take it or leave it."

Caroline stood and watched his rigid back for a moment longer, her heart beginning to crumble as she did so. Taking a shaky breath and willing her tears not to fall, he turned and walked out of the house, shutting the door quietly behind her.

**A/N: so I had a problem with Caroline's "show him the mercy I would show you"...it just didn't sit well with me and it's not that I don't think she wouldn't show Klaus mercy if he were in her position, especially now after their heart-to-heart in 4x13, I just this entire situation could have been avoided if they had taken Klaus' up when he called them even. it's like they don't even know who they're dealing with lol. oh well.**

**but ermergerd so much Klaroline and so much Kaus character growth. I lurve it!**

**now I'm off to bed so I can wake up super duper early for horse show weekend 2.0...creys. I just really want a weekend to sleep! anyways, thanks for reading! If you have a second, please review- it's much appreciated:)**


	12. a cold and broken hallelujah

**Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Diaries**

**4x17: Because the Night**

_a cold and broken hallelujah_

_you say I took the name in vain_

_i don't even know the name_

_but if I did, well, really what's it to you?_

_there's a blaze of light in every word_

_it doesn't matter which you heard_

_the holy or the broken hallelujah_

"You tell yourself whatever you need to so you can sleep well at night."

He saw everything come crashing down on her. He saw the realization of what she'd done, of what saving her so-called best friend merited sink. He saw her start to crumble right before his eyes and part of him knew it shouldn't be this way.

Not because all the innumerable people he had killed, two of his angry siblings, and his vindictive parents were about to come knocking on his door but because this beautiful girl, whom he cared very deeply for, with such a pure heart had the blood of twelve people on her hands. Sure she was a vampire but she was young- only eighteen- and carried such a different meaning of death than he did. Death was a heavier weight for her shoulders to bear where it was nothing to him.

"I just killed twelve people," Caroline murmured, looking anywhere but his eyes.

She started to gasp, her breath sticking in her throat as she tried to keep the tears from falling onto her rosy cheeks. Caroline was seconds from breaking and as angry as Klaus was at what had transpired and what was about to come to fruition, he didn't want this pain for her. His face softened instantly and he took a half step closer to her.

"Hey," he whispered, lifting a hand up and running it down her arm. "Hey."

Klaus really had planned to try and make her feel better, try to comfort her in someway, tell her that it would be okay but the second her eyes snapped up and looked at him imploringly, like he held all the answers in the world, he snapped.

_Why_?

Why should he give her comfort when she thought he was so terrible and yet she rushed to kill twelve people to save one? How did that make him so different and unforgivable for doing terrible things and caring about her?

It didn't. At least it shouldn't but apparently it did in the world according to Caroline Forbes. And in that moment, for the very first time, Caroline's perception of the world repulsed him. It hurt him in a way she hadn't been able to before. Not to mention, out of all the times he had opened up to her, out of all the opportunities she had had to let him in, this was when she chose to: after she had berated him, hurt him.

No. After everything she did not deserve his compassion. Not this time.

"You look like you could use some comfort," he said, raising his brows and waiting for her to react. She nodded, a small, miniscule but frantic movement of her head, her disheveled curls moving slightly with the motion. Klaus left his hand resting on her elbow and watched as Caroline waited for him to make the move and pull her into his body, hold her and tell her it would be okay, that she could pull through. But he only smiled, a cruel and fleeting expression before he inched closer to her face, schooling his features in the process, to whisper the final blow.

"Why don't you go find someone less terrible you can relate to."

Klaus watched her swallow as she looked at him, shock hiding behind the distressed tears in her cornflower blue eyes. And then she jerked her elbow out of his grip and ran off.

Her tears finally escaped and he could hear her crying as she ran away. The implications of her tears hit him much harder than he thought possible. Klaus never thought he would be so affected by someone else's pain but hearing Caroline's sobs as she ran away nearly ripped him apart.

* * *

White hot, blinding pain.

That's all he could feel. Every time he moved. He could feel the chunk of stake stuck between his shoulder blades moving against muscle, tissue, arteries and veins, ever so slowly creeping towards his heart; it was pure agony.

Klaus had no idea how long he stayed there on his knees, waiting- no, _begging-_ to wake up from this nightmare. The one time he had been staked with White Oak it had been quick, a small flicker of pain before he was consumed by flames, but it hadn't lasted, not like this time.

He was alone and he was going to die. There was no escaping it, not this time.

Klaus was terrified. He felt like he was on fire, a sheen of cold sweat soaking his body and his vision clouded over. His whole mind felt fuzzy and Klaus' gut tightened. He'd been through this kind of torture for over half a century. It was something he wouldn't forget, not ever.

But before he could stop it (not that he could), a pair of booted feet stopped and knelt down right in front of him.

She didn't say anything at first, just regarded him silently and Klaus tried to keep his eyes anywhere but her face. He failed- of course he did, when didn't he fail at something- and his eyes slowly dragged up to her face with such shame it crippled him.

Caroline smiled at him although her eyes were puffy from tears and she had red trails running down her cheeks. She reached out to him and cupped his cheek in her small hand and Klaus couldn't help but lean into her touch as he gaped like a fish out of water, his eyes flickering between her face and the forest floor.

"I…I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Caroline…please," he said, gasping in pain, his face twisting into a grimace.

"Hey, hey," she said, stroking his cheek with her thumb, the cruelty of her word choice hitting him like a blow from a sword.

"Shhh," she cooed, bring her other hand to his cheek.

"It's gonna be okay."

"Help me," he whimpered. He couldn't stop himself and he _hated _it. Klaus couldn't recall the last time he sounded so pitiful and it sickened him but he was terrified and everything was so fuzzy. He was burning up, the fire crawling down his skin being replaced by cold sweat and electrifying his skin.

Caroline smiled, a small chuckle escaping her lips as she shook her head. "I don't need to. Just close your eyes," she whispered, moving her face closer to his and dropping one of her hands from his face to grab one of his, intertwining their fingers. "It'll all be over soon, Nik."

He choked, squeezing his eyes shut. _Not real, it's not real. It can't be real. My Caroline wouldn't resign anyone to a fate like this. She's too good, too compassionate. It's. Not. Real._

But was he sure about that? She had said she was spiraling and she was beyond angry with him for reasons he didn't understand. Of course she would let him die.

He lifted his free hand from his lap and gripped the wrist of the hand still cradling his cheek, squeezing it impossibly tight as the pain wracked his body. A tear slipped down his cheek and mingled with his cold sweat. It hurt so badly and there was nothing he could do. He was helpless to this onslaught of torture and he regretted everything. If only he had pulled Caroline into his arms; he should have done it.

"Don't leave me, sweetheart," he whispered but it was useless.

Caroline laughed, a cheery sound that once would have made his face split into a wide grin, igniting both his dimples and his eyes. It once would have caused him to laugh as well but now everything hurt and he could barely breathe. It began to fade through the trees and onto the breeze as if she were running away from him once and for all.

Klaus opened his eyes and she was gone, leaving him alone in the forest once again- this time terrified, feverish, writhing in pain and drowning in regret.

**A/N: can it be next Thursday already? I want more shirtless Klaus *drools* and Klaroline. but mostly shirtless Klaus and Joseph's tattoos.**

**I watch for the plot, obvs.**

**lyrics and titles courtesy of 'hallelujah' (/watch?v=m1_o-VGp-t4 this version...EARGASM.)**

**thanks for reading! if you have a second please leave a review- it's much appreciated, loves:)**

**until next time!**


	13. Almost Lovers I

**Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Diaries**

**4x18: American Gothic**

**scene I**

He was so scared it was overwhelming. She couldn't look at the fear in his eyes, his slightly defeated posture, his shaking hands. She turned away from him, pulling her hand from his grasp and putting them on her head, rubbing her temples. She took a couple deep breaths and steps away from him, processing the information before turning around.

"If Silas can make _you_, of all people, believe that you're dying?" she paused and saw the realization slowly cross Klaus' face. "What can he do to the rest of us?" she finished, unable to stop the way her breath caught. But she didn't care. She had a right to be scared, Klaus was supposed to be indestructible. If he was scared, she should be terrified. Caroline looked up at him, silently begging him to correct her, tell her she was wrong and that theory was stupid.

But he didn't. Klaus just stood in silence, covered in sweat and exhausted. The longer he stayed quiet, the more Caroline's panic rose. She put a hand over her mouth like she was trying to keep her fearful sobs in as her breathing became shallow.

"Oh my god. Oh my god," she whispered, turning away from Klaus again. She was supposed to be strong and strong people didn't cry. She didn't want _Klaus _to see her cry- for all she knew, he'd scoff at her tears and call her foolish but, then again, maybe Caroline wanted that. It would be some kind of reassurance that what she had said was just a silly musing, a theory that had no credibility whatsoever.

Klaus' eyes stayed on her, watching her fight her rising distress. He reached out and grabbed her elbow only to have her jerk it out of his grasp. "Caroline," he said, reaching out once more but curling his fingers back just short of touching her. She didn't respond and he flashed in front of her and grabbed her arms and squeezed gently only to have her look away from him.

"Caroline."

"Don't."

"We will figure this out. You mark my words- we'll get this sorted out. Okay?"

_Don't be scared, sweetheart._

Her eyes flashed to his face and she gave him the smallest of smiles, a nervous flicker of the corners of her mouth. And then she nodded, once, then twice and Klaus let go of her elbow with one hand and ran his knuckles across the skin on her cheek with a barely there touch.

Caroline blinked and the spell was over.

"Um, you're gross. You need to shower or do whatever it is you do so…you go do that and, um, I'll just clean up," she said, backing away from him. "Where's your bleach?"

"Bleach?"

"Yeah, you know stuff that helps remove blood? Or was that another job you gave your minions instead of putting it on your personal 'evil 'to-do' list'?" Caroline smirked while waiting for his answer.

**A/N: is that a 'part I' you see at the top? why yes, yes it is;)**

**I just have sososo many feels after tonight. Kalijah, Klaroline, Rebekah/Elijah, Defan, and Klelijah all in on episode?! I'm surprised I'm still alive.**

**thank for reading and please review if you have a minute:)**


	14. Almost Lovers II

**Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Diaries**

**4x18: American Gothic**

**scene II**

It had been months. Months since he last heard his brother's voice and there were no words to describe the relief Klaus felt at _'complication speaking'_. And, more importantly, he was coming home. Klaus smirked slightly at the thought.

Footsteps and a disgruntled sigh interrupted his thoughts.

"I used all your bleach," Caroline announced, striding into the room while wiping her hands on a towel. She started to walk straight past him, absorbed in what she was doing.

"Hey," Klaus said, reaching out and grabbing her elbow to stop her. She didn't fight it, only looked down at his hand and let herself be pulled back in front of him. He had realized just how important she was to him today and while he didn't really have a clue how to tell her that, he had to say something. "Thank you. For helping me."

"Yeah," she said, looking him up and down a couple times before her eyes settled on his face. She remained silent and Klaus studied her, watching her as she continued to look at him. She shook her head as if to stop whatever thoughts were running through her mind and continued, "Well…if you need anything else," she paused and laughed, Klaus' lips pulling upwards at the sound, "_don't _call me. I have a prom to plan."

At first he had thought she was rejecting him _again_ and shoving him in the chest to prove her point but then she had given him that playful, pointed look as he reached up to grab the towel and he felt himself smile.

"Friends, then?" He asked, watching her boots as she walked away and balling up the towel in his hands nervously.

Caroline stopped and held her breath, contemplating her answer but she could feel the hopeful look on her face. Taming it, she turned around to face him. "Areee you gonna let Tyler back into town?" she asked, shrugging and giving Klaus a hopeful look.

He exhaled and Caroline felt the hope drain out of her body. A sad, disappointed look crossed her face momentarily before she turned and started walking away again when Klaus gave her a pointed look.

"You might have noticed," she stopped in her tracks and turned again, "…I'm not exactly scouring the earth for him. Am I?"

It wasn't the answer she really wanted to hear but, coming from Klaus, Caroline guessed it was enough for now, not that she would let him know that so she flashed him a tiny smirk and gave him a pointed look before continuing on her way.

Klaus watched her go and couldn't help the smile that crossed his face as her boot hit the wooden floors, echoing through the high ceilinged rooms. And then, she was suddenly back in front of him, shoving a blood bag into his hands.

"Friends," she said slowly, letting the word roll of her tongue and testing it out. "Don't screw this up," she warned, closing his fingers over the bag before taking a step back and pointing at him. "Seriously. And, there's more of that in the kitchen. I heated it up and everything so you better drink up…we need the Original hybrid who can't be killed on top of his game because Prom is _definitely _not going to plan itself and I don't trust any of the committees not to mess up _my _senior Prom."

And then, throwing a small smile at him over her shoulder, she was gone.

Klaus was still smiling.

**A/N: so much cuteness, I cannot...and such a nice, genuine moment. precious bbys. and high five to Klaus for sorta kinda getting it!**

**anyways, thanks for reading and please review if you have a minute:)**

**ps- I hope to get a my other works updated during yet another (grumbles) TVD hiatus. so if you read any of my other word vomit, stay tuned.**

**until next time, loves:)**


	15. and it kills him inside

**Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Diaries**

**4x19: Pictures of You**

He scrolled through their message thread for what felt like the thousandth time that night.

_Prom SUCKS. But thank you._

_For what?_

_Tonight could_ _have been a complete and total disaster but because you pulled through with the dress it was only kind of a disaster._

_What are friends for, love?_

_Haha, yeah. Well, there's an after party that's not going to put itself together. So…Thank you._

_And where is this party taking place?_

_Stalker, much?_

_News is that Silas is out and about and well, you know how that ended up for me. I'm just asking out of curiosity for your sake, love. Just in case something goes amiss._

That had been forty-five minutes ago. Klaus knew good and well where Silas was. Call it a deal with a devil but it was something he had to do, Rebekah would get over it in a few years. He didn't care if he had made her cry, not after what she had said earlier. _"You hated Kol and you left Finn in a box most of his life."_ What did she know? Why should she have the right to spew such lies in his face when he had been the one who laid his brother to rest. What did she know when he had ventured into the woods and cried for Finn?

And Elijah with all his 'always and forever' and 'family above all' talk had scoffed in his face. Multiple times when Klaus had refused to free Katerina over family loyalty. Elijah had no clue what Silas could do and maybe he needed a dose of it. Then he would understand why it was vital the cure needed to get in Silas' hands. Then he could see that they could have their brothers back. Then they would all face Mikael and Esther _together_ as it always should have been.

Let his siblings hate him. They would see his ways eventually. For now he had to find her. Striding through the ballroom, he swiftly caught up with Matt and the girl his sister had saved. "Where's Caroline?" he demanded.

Matt and April stopped and Klaus had to fight the laugh when he noticed the human boy place himself between the whimpering girl and Klaus. "Why do you want to know?"

"I'm not going to harm a hair on her head if you're worried about it. I just want to know for my own selfish reasons. Not to mention I have very little patience at the present so it'd be in your best interest to tell me, Donovan."

"She's probably at the Lockwood's setting up the after party but I don't know how much of an after party there's going to be and I don't want to be the one to tell break it to her."

Klaus nodded and then was gone.

It was the smell that made his stop in his tracks. It was faint, barely lingering on the air but he caught the outdoorsy and youthful aftershave as if the owner of the nauseating scent had just walked passed.

His suspicions were confirmed when the door opened and he flashed up the porch stairs. "Was it worth it?" he growled, staring the younger hybrid down and stopping him in his tracks. If it were any other day, Klaus would have smirked at the spike in Tyler's heart rate, he would have laughed humorlessly at the way the boy backed up half a step, his eyes wide in fear.

"To see her smile?" he asked, remembering the way Caroline smiled earlier when asking him for help. Then there was the playful quirk of her lips when they wandered through his 'creepy trophy case of family collectibles' and she called him a packrat, his raised eyebrows and cheeky reply drawing a giggle from her pink lips. And, finally, the smile that lit her entire being when he could barely form a coherent thought, let alone utter four words about how positively stunning and elegant and _perfect_she was when she asked about how the dress looked hanging on her lithe figure, hugging and embellishing her curves in all the right places or if the ivory fabric washed her skin out too badly.

"To make her dream night come true?" The night that _he _was supposed to have saved. The entire day had been shot to hell with traitorous thoughts about how he was never enough, that nothing had ever or would ever fall in his favor and then, like the angel she was, she had come into his darkness and asked him for help. _She had come to him._ Not anyone else.

"Was. It. Worth it?" he asked, seething in anger and taking even steps closer to Tyler. But while he was glad he was successful in terrifying Tyler, there was part of him asking the question from a very honest place. He wanted Caroline to be happy. She deserved to be happy. He wanted to know; he deserved to know how it felt, didn't he?

Tyler never answered him but it didn't matter, though. Klaus could see everything in Tyler's dark eyes. He could see that it had, in fact, been worth this encounter, been worth Tyler risking his life to bring happiness to the one thing that brought him happiness. He watched the strange expression in Tyler's eyes, not caring that every muscle in the boy's body was tensed, prepared to bolt like a frightened horse. This light spark in Tyler's eyes was probably the closest Klaus was ever going to get to knowing what it felt like to make Caroline happy, to know that everything was worth it.

"In the shared interest of giving Caroline the night of her dreams, I'm going to allow you five seconds before I rip your heart out of your chest." Klaus didn't back away but his frustration grew when Tyler cocked his head in confusion and Klaus remembered how daft the boy could be. "Five," he started. Tyler didn't move and Klaus bared his teeth slightly. "Four, three."

The boy was gone and Klaus was left standing on the porch, his entire body tensed in anger, the emotion shining through the icy defeat that was coursing through his veins oh so painfully. He looked toward the door where he could hear Caroline's soft cries breaking through the brick walls of the colonial style mansion. He let out a quiet sigh and looked down at the porch floor.

This is his fate, he knows. He knows and there are no words to describe the hollow feeling in his chest. It's a feeling he knows all to well from the centuries of disappointment, from self loathing, from being burned and scorned more times than he can count.

Raising his head, he looks at the elaborate door and glares at it. "You're welcome," he whispers, knowing she can hear him loud and clear. The words come out much more defeated than angry but Klaus honestly care much anymore.

He simply doesn't understand what he just doesn't know.

**A/N: this ep tho. can someone please call me when they let Klaus feel like he's enough for once in his life? please? cause I literally cannot even. yes, he was nasty to Rebekah. yes, he was the pot calling the kettle black with Elijah about Katherine and this whole 'lovesick fool' thing. but...ugh. it just irks me that people treat him so awfully (and it wasn't Caroline's fault don't get me wrong. she had no idea Tyler was coming back) and then get all butt hurt when he lashes out and don't understand why he acts the way he acts. it just makes me wonder what the straw to break the camel's back will be:(**

**all the Klaus just hurt right now lol.**

**thanks for reading and please review if you have a minute- it's much appreciated:)**

**(ps I wrote this to 'Unfaithful' by Rihanna. so... if you want the full force of the angst...)**


	16. i want you to stay

**Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Diaries**

**4x21: She's Come Undone**

The shrill ringtone cut through the otherwise quiet atmosphere in their New Orleans apartment. He placed his hand of cards face down on the table and fished the device out of his back pocket, Elijah watching him expectantly. Klaus glanced down at the ID and smiled, pressing the 'answer' button and lifting the phone to his ear.

"Caroline," he greeted, picking his cards up in one hand and nodding towards Elijah so they could continue their game.

"Hi," she said shyly, her voice a bit fuzzy.

"To what do I owe the pleasure, sweetheart?"

"I…uh. I got your voicemail. About your favorite place."

"Did you now?" he asked with a smirk, watching Elijah make his move.

"Yeah. Are you…are you still there?" she asked, quietly.

Klaus' brows creased and he sat up a little straighter when he registered the nervous and upset tone of her voice. "What's wrong?" Elijah's eyes snapped to his, cocking an eyebrow in question. "Caroline?"

"It's…it's nothing," she let out in a sigh.

Her reply did nothing to smooth the crease in his brow. He laid his cards on the table before standing up and holding the mouth piece away from his ear. "We're done," he mouthed to his brother and Elijah nodded, gathering Klaus' discarded hand as the hybrid strode off towards his room without another glance. "You still there, love?" he asked once the door was shut. Caroline was silent for a moment and it did nothing for the anxious feeling that had settled in his gut. "Caroline? Talk to me, sweetheart."

"Is it true?" she asked, a rustling of fabric crinkling across the line and Klaus checked the clock on his bedside table, realizing she'd probably be in bed seeing as it was nearly 1:30 AM in Mystic Falls.

Realizing what she was asking about, Klaus groaned. He pinched the bridge of his nose and settled back against the headboard of his bed. "Unfortunately yes," he answered, wiping his hand across his face and letting out a frustrated sigh.

Caroline sighed and the line went quiet again for a moment. Her voice broke through the heavy silence and Klaus was surprised at how small and meek she sounded. "I…I met Silas today."

"You _what_?" he snapped, sitting up immediately.

"Nothing, nothing. He just…he came to me as you, told me he..told me you came back to say good bye and then...then I said...something and you- well Silas-you said somethings back and I said...well it doesn't matter because then you- no, Silas. Then Silas- he staked me. And then he was Matt and then you again and then he ambushed me in the Salvatore's driveway."

He exhaled through his nose to reign in his boiling temper. "Are you alright?" he asked slowly.

"Yeah," she said and Klaus could hear her working to control her erratic breathing. "I'll be okay," Caroline whispered.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes...No. I don't know. I'm fine but he...he tried... Oh god, he almost killed my mom." Her voice came out in a strangled sob and Klaus squeezed his eyes shut.

"I can be in Mystic Falls by noon tomorrow…."

She exhaled again, another drawn out in take of breath and Klaus made himself breath with her "No. I'm really okay, I promise. I was just confused and scared. I'm still scared."

Klaus' smile would have been more pronounced if the tone of Caroline's voice had been any less sad and lonely. "You saw me through my whole ordeal. I'd consider you a fool if you weren't frightened, love."

She snorted. "Right because if you're scared then the rest of us should be peeing our pants and sleeping with the lights on?"

"No. You've seen firsthand what he can do and you understand he's to be taken as a real threat. It means you're cautious, sweetheart, and that's an admirable trait to have."

"Yeah," she said and Klaus could tell she wasn't convinced. Judging by the rustling of fabric, she shifted in bed again and he picked at the comforter on his absentmindedly as he waited for her to settle back down. "I killed his stupid witches to save Bonnie so if he thinks I'm gonna hand her over that easily, he's got another thing coming. Even if he looks and acts like you- temper and all."

_There she was_, Klaus thought with a smirk at the more determined sound of her voice. "And why, pray tell, would he appear as me?" he asked, genuinely curious. He would have thought Silas would appear as Tyler if the witch was trying to get information out of the, _his_, baby vampire for whatever reason. It was a smart move on Silas' part, Klaus had to admit- Caroline knew everything that was going on even if she was at odds with the doppelganger. Moreover, and this was the part he was _very_uncomfortable with, she would anything for them even if it meant walking into some form of danger or making a deadly mistake if Silas used them against her.

"…It doesn't matter," she said hesitantly and quietly.

Klaus pursed his lips, molding them into a tight line. It most certainly did matter. At least to him. Did it mean she…_cared_ about him in some capacity? He could only hope that was the case. He wouldn't push her for answers though, not when she sounded so tired. "Is there anything else I can do?"

"Stay on the phone with me? Until I fall asleep?"

Not needing any prompting, Klaus nodded even though she couldn't see the motion. "Of course," he said getting up to pour himself a glass of bourbon. "I have to ask, though…why me. Why not Stefan or Bonnie?"

Caroline sighed. "You…I…. I guess I just needed a friend," her voice broke slightly and Klaus felt like his heart would split in two at the sound of her distress, "and…you make me feel safe. I don't know why- you just do." Klaus smiled, feeling his chest swell at her admission. "Tell me about New Orleans," she demanded after another moment.

"What do you want to know about it?" Klaus asked, placing his glass on the bedside table and laying back down on his bed.

"I don't know, just…talk about it."

With a smirk, he made himself comfortable and started talking about this city that he had a huge fondness for- from the odd smells to the loud nightlife. He told her about the skyline, the cobblestone streets and old buildings. He spoke about the history, about the Penal colony he'd discovered Marcel in and the Creoles. He told her about the cemeteries and the aged Vaults they housed.

She laughed at one of his anecdotes about the trouble Kol and Marcel had constantly gotten themselves into during the early 1900's- not that he had been anything other than the ring leader on those little escapades. He could hear her smiling when he spoke at length about all the art scattered across the French Quarter and the rest of the city. She sighed contentedly and Klaus heard her yawn as he kept talking, smiling to himself all the while.

It was just after 3:00 AM in Mystic Falls when Klaus heard her breathing even out and realized she'd fallen asleep listening to him talk wistfully about the wonder and magic of Mardi Gras. Klaus pulled his shirt over his head and slid his jeans off, leaving only his briefs on as he slipped under his own covers and turned his night lamp off. He settled into his mattress, keeping his phone against his ear. If he made her feel safe, he was going to go as best a job at that as he could from about 1,000 miles away. In the end he was lulled to sleep by her soft breathing to dream about what it would be like to have her there with him.

The chiming of his phone awoke him later in the morning and he dug it out from under his pillow to see she had ended the call but had sent him a text message.

_Thank you for last night._

_Anytime, Caroline. _He sent back.

She never replied but she didn't need to. She had called him when she something that had, somewhere a long the way, become a constant. When she had needed _him_, needed to hear his voice, just like when he'd called her a week ago.

And for now, that was enough.

**A/N: So I posted this on Tumblr a couple days ago and after the ep tonight, I decided I liked it too much to try and write something else for my Deleted Scene so I revamped it and here it is hehe. Thanks for reading and please review if you have a minute...it's much appreciated:)**

**(ps- I _should _have the next chapter of 'i'll never wear your broken crown' out either this weekend or mid week next week. I'm heading into exam week and running on very little sleep already so...ya lol. I'm sure some of you may be looking for that if you didn't like 4x20;) never fear, I'll get it out asap my lovelies.)**

**pps: Joseph was SO hot. he freaking blew it out of the water as Silas. and he should wear that jacket all the time. unf.**

**until next time!**


	17. to see her smile

**A/N 1.0: oooppps! since I'm the laziest author ever and had a broken computer charger during the middle of exams, I couldn't thank those who reviewed 'i want you to stay'. so a special shout out to NeverGiveUp22, BlindTurtle8104, antsB, AnnMarie31882, KatherineSparrow, musicalfreak, Girl96xoxo, KlarolinexDelenaxx, SweetyK, chillwithJyl, moon2012, Horsewoman626, jessnicole, iloverob32, Fallendarkangel693, and last but most certainly not least driver picks the music. thank you all for your kind reviews:D**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Diaries**

**4x23: Graduation**

**(Season Finale)**

Her rejection. He waits for it, to be quite honest; his heart is jumping around and she's completely stopped breathing, stopped moving, and he hates it. So he moves quickly while she's still shocked- in a good way (or so he hopes)- and leans in. It's all too rushed and he thinks he's being forward, waiting for her to crush his heart, scoff in his face, do what she does best when it comes to him-

-but then his lips are grazing her cheek, pressed against her warm flesh in a gentle kiss, an intimate and caring gesture and he doesn't care. Klaus lingers for a moment, breathing in her sweet scent- like sunshine and honeysuckle, roses and rain- for what would be the last time for a while, he knows and, strangely, he's okay with that.

Slowly, so he gauge her reaction, Klaus pulls back and she _still_ doesn't reject him. She does nothing but look up at him with that look. The one he's come to recognize that she reserves for him. It's genuine. Gentle- it's how he knows that she cares, how he knows what it feels like for someone to care. It's almost sad but filled with so much hope- hope for herself, hope for him, hope for _them_, Klaus doesn't know but he doesn't care because there's more hope in her eyes than he's seen concentrated in one spot in his one thousand years of wandering this cold world. He squeezes her elbow when he looks straight into her wide eyes.

"Congratulations, Caroline."

And then she smiles. In disbelief. Happiness. Excitement.

And _he_ made her smile- _he_ was the reason and it was worth it.

With a brief, tiny smile of his own that turns into a joking but cautious grimace and he turns slightly. "Now let's get out of here," he says, guiding her away with his hand in the crook of her elbow, this thumb squeezing the soft skin there with a barely there touch, "before twelve angry hybrids decide to pick a fight."

This time she does scoff and he can hear her eyes roll but it's not resentful. It's playful and he cracks a smile.

"Maybe we should grab some of those left over caps," she says with a giggle, turning to look at him with a cocked brow. "Just in case."

"The caps are necessary. That stunt can be pulled off with just about anything," Klaus laughs, the full sound echoing in the empty stadium. "It's all in the technique, sweetheart."

"Don't get too full of yourself, mister. It wasn't _that_ impressive," Caroline says, throwing him a pointed look to disguise her mirth and it reminded him so much of the day they spent together at her ridiculous pageant.

"No? I thought it was fairly dramatic and charming, myself. I was quite proud of it."

Caroline shakes of her head with fond smile pulling her lips upwards. "Blood, guts, and gore? Charming? You would think that."

And they continue on, their laughter and jibes dying down as they walk arm in arm to the parking lot in companionable silence. Caroline's small hand slides down his arm and Klaus internally cringes, waiting for her untwine their linked arms, leave him alone, separate them by a space he sometimes feels as if he can never cross but she only finds his hand instead, slipping her small hand in his much larger one. She leans into him slightly, walking along the pavement with strides that match his own- slow and casual, not wanting to get to their cars and go their separate ways for who knows how long.

(_However long it takes_, he reminds himself.)

They come to a stop somewhere in the middle of his SUV and her Ford Focus and she squeezes his hand, turning to look up at him. He grows quiet, the music of the night playing loudly in his ears as he struggles to find words. There's so much he wants to tell her, so many ways he could say 'goodbye for now' but where is the waxing, romantic poet when he needs him? But then again he's already said his piece and Caroline knows.

She squeezes his hand, pulling his downcast eyes to her angelic and bright face. "Thank you, Klaus," she says. "For everything."

Never have five words filled him with such warmth before. Not once in his miserable existence did he ever think such words would but they mean the world to him and all he can do is smile (a small thing, lips pressed tightly together, that barely reaches his dimples) down at her radiance.

Caroline tilts her head, watching his expression with a hint of kind humor flashing through her orbs, and before Klaus knows it, she's up on her tiptoes- placing a soft kiss on his own stubbled cheek.

"I mean it," she says, poking his chest to drive her point home.

Klaus chuckles and grasps her finger in his hand. "Of course not, Caroline. Now, don't you have a boyfriend to call?" he asked with a small smile that grew when her purely excited expression returned, her smile all teeth with bright eyes that he could drown in.

"Yeah, I guess I do."

"Forgive me for not delivering him to you bow and all. I had other things to take care of."

Still smiling, she shakes her head and Klaus thinks it's the most breathtaking thing he's ever seen. "Letting him go is plenty. He'd probably run off again if you had tracked him down."

"Go on then, love. Have at it," he says, dismissing her towards her car with a wave of his hand and a smirk.

Before turning to go, she throws her arms around his neck, taking him by complete surprise. Klaus goes tense for a moment before relaxing in her embrace and returning it with one arm snaking around her waist to hold her tightly to him for as long as she'll allow- she is spoken for after all.

"Well...I guess...," she shakes her head with a laugh. "Stay safe from whatever it is in New Orleans," she says, stepping away from him and pushing a curl behind her ear.

He nods. Klaus cocks an eyebrow down at her. Not to take her line or anything but...seriously? Did she really thing that low of him?

"What? Whenever one friend goes off to travel or do something new or whatever, it's common courtesy to wish them well. It's also common courtesy to keep in touch. Don't stay a stranger, Klaus."

"I wouldn't dream of it, sweetheart."

Definitely not if he could make her smile like that.**  
**

**A/N 2.0: ...just give me a minute to collect myself.**

**lol;) another season over with! I can't believe it D: can I just say this scene at the end... #DEAD. I was dreading it, tbh because I thought Klaus was gonna utter the 'L' word and make me cringe but he didn't and it was pretty epic and my heart burst into a million pieces.**

**welp, S4 with all it's up and downs and craziness has been fun, guys! I've enjoyed writing with these two and exploring their scenes a little further. While Klaus and Care won't be on the same show, I'll definitely be keeping this open in case of the crossovers between TO and TVD that keep getting teased...or, you know...if Care ships off to NOLA permanently at some point;) (hopefully not too soon, though!) Have a wonderful hiatus and I hope to see you all around next season! **

**Until next time :D**


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